Telomerase inhibition and telomere erosion: a two-pronged strategy in cancer therapy

Inhibition of telomerase activity in cancerous cells is a very potent factor in the abrogation of cellular immortalization. However, targeting telomerase alone is not sufficient to elicit cell death because tumor cells can acquire the ability to lengthen their telomeres independently of telomerase activity, in a process referred to as alternative lengthening of telomeres. In this article, we suggest that a biphasic approach, by both eroding intrinsic levels of telomeres and inhibiting telomerase activity, would result in a synergistic beneficial effect that could be used in cancer therapy.